Randy Pippin, the Director of Player Relations, joined the UAB staff in 2015.

In his role, Pippin serves as the chief organizer and communicator for the Blazers’ high school camps and clinics which have continued to increase exponentially over the last two years. He will also be in charge of high school player relations.

Pippin’s other area of expertise is his ties and relationships with NFL personnel. Pippin will have day-to-day interactions with current Blazers and help them reach their goal of playing at the next level through his deep-routed NFL connections.

Pippin has 28 years coaching experience at all different levels, including 14 years as a head coach. Prior to arriving in Birmingham, Pippin spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Division II East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma.

Pippin headed to East Central University after two years as the defensive coordinator at East Texas Baptist from 2011-12 where he also headquartered the Texas and Oklahoma Nike Coach of the Year Clinics.

Prior to joining the staff at ETBU, Pippin coached at the high school level as the head coach at The Classical Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Classical Academy finished 12th in the state in 2010 despite being the smallest school in its class.

While in Colorado, Pippin also served as the National Director of the Glazier/Mega Football Coaching Clinics before East Texas Baptist. He joined Glazier after being the head coach at Northwest Mississippi CC, where he guided the Rangers to the North Division Championship in 2006. While there, he signed and coached future 2nd round pick of the Miami Dolphins Daniel Thomas.

Pippin was also the head coach at the University of West Alabama from 2001-2003. During his time with the Tigers he earned Small College Coach of the Year in Alabama in 2002 after West Alabama defeated Arkansas-Monticello, Delta State, West Georgia and North Alabama in the same season for the first time in school history.

Prior to taking the job at West Alabama, Pippin was the head football coach and athletic director at Middle Georgia College (1998-2000). He guided MGC to two 10-win seasons and made two appearances in the bowl championships, defeating Northwest Mississippi, 41-3, and Lackawanna, 35-7. He helped Kendrell Bell move on to the NFL, where he was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Pippin also spent two seasons (1996-97) as the offensive coordinator at Tennessee Tech where he enjoyed record breaking success for the Golden Eagles.

Before joining Tennessee Tech, Pippin had a very successful time as the head coach at Trinity Valley CC (1993-95), where he guided the Cardinals to a 24-8-2 record, which included the 1994 Junior College National Championship. During his time at Trinity Valley, he produced 19 all-conference players and six All-Americans. That list includes kicker Matt Bryant and cornerback Al Harris, both who had stellar NFL careers.

The 1994 season saw not just a national championship, but a 12-0 mark and the No. 1 ranking in the NJCAA through the entire season. For his efforts, Pippin was named the NJCAA Coach of the Year and was recently inducted into the TVCC Hall of Fame.

Before being named the head coach at Trinity Valley, Pippin served as the team’s defensive coordinator (1990-92) for three seasons coaching and recruiting several future NFL players.

Pippin’s first full time job was the Defensive Ends Coach at MTSU in 1988-89 where the Murfreesboro school won the OVC and Pippin signed/coached Mike Caldwell, a 10 year NFL Linebacker for the Browns and Eagles and current New York Jets Assistant Head Coach along with Kenny Tippins of the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons.

Pippin started out as a graduate assistant coach at Tennessee Tech University in 1986-87 in charge of the Outside Linebackers.

Pippin, a Mesquite, Texas, native played his football for North Mesquite High School, Cisco Junior College and Tennessee Tech University where he obtained his two degrees and began his coaching career. Pippin is married to the former Sally Horton and they have four girls; Natalie, Holly, Libby and Gracie. He published an award winning instructional book on the 4-2-5 defense called "CHAOS" which is still available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble bookstores.